Sounds goulish, but I have heard that funerals in Venice were an amazing sight to watch as they float down the Grand Canal to ? <BR>Does anyone know where the cemetery is situated?

It is called the Isola di San Michelle, by boat from the east side of the city, along Fondamenta Nuove.

It's on a separate island called Isola di San Michele. You can take a vaporetto to the island if you so desire.

Zentralfreidhof, resting place of Beethoven, Stauss, & Brahms, is located on Simmeringer Hauptstrasse in district 11. Don't feel twisted for asking about a cemetery-you won't be the only tourist there. Enjoy. <BR>j.

OOOPS! Sorry Kimberly, sorry all. I misread your question. I thought you were asking about Vienna. I sort of skipped the Grand Canal mention. Please excuse. <BR>j.

I found it quite humerous that the cemetary island is located directly across the lagoon from the hospital...

Kimerley <BR>For a cinematic view of a Venetian funeral, try to rent the older thriller <BR>film "Don't Look Now". Great <BR>Venetian scenery as well as a nail-biting sexy plot. Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie.

Did you know all the info about why it is located on a separate island? Napolean is said to have made the rule as land was so precious. Most people are unable to afford to keep the remains and so are limited to a 10 year (I think) timeframe. Then a cremation takes place and the roses look beautiful! It's so interesting to see the pictures of the deceased (placed on a porcelan disk). The monks there water and tend the lovely garden. It is very sobering to see the rows and rows of graves one on top of the other. <BR>Sorry if I rambled--I love Venice so much!

Have been to San Michele many times as my wife's parents are interred there. In general, a person may be buried in a grave for 20 years. The family must then pay to have the remains put in an urn and placed in a niche in a wall or they will be placed in a common grave. The cemetery is maintained by municipal employees. There is a cloistered order of nuns on the island but we don't know whether they do any maintenance as we never see them. It's a very interesting place with such celebrities as Ezra Pound and Stravinsky buried there. There is a heart wrenching children's section so take along your Italian-American dictionary and some kleenex. It's on the ferry boat route to the glass factory island of Murano so you can stop off on the way.

I've been to Venice 4 times (spent about 3 weeks total there). Only got out to the cemetery island on our last visit in '98 but it was very memorable. Beautiful grounds. Very peaceful and well maintained. Interesting to walk about and look at the photos on the grave sites...some are sad to see. Well worth a visit for travelers in Venice for a longer stay. I hadn't known that people could only stay buried for 20 years though there...that was interesting to read.

thanks everyone for your replies. Can't wait to visit...only 58 more sleeps..